[05:13] The end of the road, or was it? Perfection was never a truth, a lie fabricated to push people further. Where had that lie taken Juri on his journey to craft the perfect tea?

How many people remarked that his tea was good? How many people he assessed to determine what tea suited them? How many years from child to adult had he spent working on the craft?

Now to break the bottleneck on his path. To cast aside the norms of tea craft. To transcend with tools, and understanding. Knowledge of metals. Expertise with herbs. A life spent devoted to a master and tea.

To elevate the craft to the heavens. The heavens Juri understood: they were not selfish. He did this not for himself, this was for his master to enjoy a brew that soared to the stars. Give a drink to Grimmore. Let the Queen have a taste.

He had all the ingredients for the brew. Poppylus, sugarcap, soothe reed, alessa and fairy dust. The poppylus to balance the ingredients, letting them better mix and not overwhelm. The sugarcap for pure sweetness and bliss. Alessa to give brief ecstasy to the body. Soothe reed to give refresh; calm the body and mitigate the alessa. Last, fairy dust to ascend the ingredients and rejuvenate the body.

Each ingredient to give comfort and energy to the body. Let them float on clouds as they take solace in the brew.

But there was one key ingredient. He takes out the newly crafted orichalcum mesh infuser. Ornate with petals around the border to show extravagance. The orichalcum to further draw out the properties of the herb, letting them reach their pinnacle. He'd spare no expense to reach the next level in brewing.

Crushing each ingredient, mixing them with leaves and raspberries he puts the into the orichalcum infuser. Sealing tight, securing to not let anything but the essence escape.

But this was not the key ingredient. No, the true key is-

The soul!

To the air he raisedthe infuser in hand. Raising it up beyond the confines of the room. Beyond in a vision of the stars above. He pours his mana into the mesh, imprinting the herbs with his very heart and soul. Pure devotion to his craft consuming the mesh and herbs.

Heavens would know of his devotion. To craft a perfect tea for his master. "This will be the height of the heavens." He calls out, sweat dripping down his brow as he raw mana encases his hand. Mana reverberating throughout the room.

It falls faint. Light dulling to return to normal. He looks down, holding the mesh tight to pour one last ounce of his will into it.

The true secret ingredient was devotion to one's craft. Not learning numerous, not trying to advance with outside sources. No, it had to be the brew itself. Practice numerous times, swing the blade the same way a thousand times. Ten thousand. A hundred thousand.

Master. Perfect it. Imprint your will: Let it be your swing alone.

The mesh his anvil. The herbal mixture his ingot. It was time to craft the tea to touch the sky, and further beyond.

Heaven's High.
(Juri)